Shaft attachment for breeching-straps of harness.



No. 645,289. Patented Mar. I3, I900. C. E. CDRLETT.

SHAFT ATTACHMENT FOR BREECHING STRAPS 0F HARNESS.

filed Nov. is, 1899) (Application (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES E. CORLETT, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLESM. COATS, OF SAME PLACE.

SHAFT ATTACHMENT FOR BREECHlNG-STRAPS OF HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 645,289, dated March13, 1900. Application filed November 16 1899. Serial No, 737,191. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. CORLETT, a citizen of the United States,and aresident of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft Attachmentsfor Breeching-Straps of Harness, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

The object of my invention is to furnish an attachment or clip for thethills of wagons, consisting of two corresponding parts which are hingedtogether and made to embrace and clamp the thills at any point alongtheir length as desired and which are so constructed as to hold andsupport one end of an adjustable arm, to the rear end of which thebreeching-strap proper is connected and supported at any height desiredindependent of animal-support. This I accomplish by the meanshereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the thills, showingmy improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of theparts of my invention slightly separated one from the other. Fig.3isatransverse vertical section through the center of length of the samewhen said parts are suitably connected together, and Fig. 4: is a sideview thereof. Fig. 5 shows a side and edge View of a locking-core usedin connection with my improvements.

In the drawings, A represents the thill, and B B the sections of theclip, each of which is shaped so as to correspond to one-half of thecontours of the thills in cross-section. I prefer to make the length ofthe upper portions of sections B I3 greater than that of the side andunder parts thereof, and I prefer to clamp these sections to the thillso that their lower edges, which are hinged together, will comeunderneath said thill. The hinge of the clip is made by providing thelower longitudinal edge of, say, section B with a transverselyprojectingL-shaped hook b and providing the opposing edge of section B with arecess 0 of a width corresponding to the width of hook b and of a depthcorresponding to the projection of the same. The under side of theentrance of this recess is spanned by a bridge d, and when hingingsections B and B together the hook I) is hooked over this bridge so thatits nose projects slightly below the 5 5 plane of the under side of theclip, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:.

Projecting at right angles and arising vertically from the centers oflength of the up per longitudinal edges of sections B and B arecorresponding circular-shaped lugs C C. When the sections B and B areproperly brought together to form the clip, as shown in Fig. 3, theselugs C and C come in touch and are secured by means of a bolt D, striking or tapped through their centers. The inner opposing surfaces of saidlugs C C are dished or concaved, and the annular edges thus formed areprovided with recesses e e and f f at points diametrically opposite eachother. The recesses e extend over a greater segment than recesses f andform a segmental opening or slot when said lugs are clamped together,out through which an arm G extends. The end of this arm inclosed withinthe lugs is pivoted on the barrel of the bolt D and extends a suitabledistance to the rear of the clip and has suitable means attached theretoor made a part thereof for attaching the ends ofthebreeching-strapHthereto. Thesearms So are given a limited adjustment, so as to raise orlower the plane of the breeching-strap and relieve the horse of theweight thereof and at the same time properly adjusted around the rump ofthe animal. The arms are secured in their adjusted positions by beingclamped between the edges of the lugs, out between which they pass, andI prefer to serrate or corrugate the sides of the recesses e,

so as to bite into and better hold said arms l in the desired position.

The clips, as hereinbefore described, are made of such dimensions thatthey can be socurely clamped at any point of that portion. of the thillsto which it is customary to secure or attach the ends of thebreeching-straps of the common harness now in extensive use. It ispossible, however, to adjust them to thills or other parts of the samethills whose transverse dimensions are less than the span of said secmotions by inserting a strip of leather or wood as a wedge between theclip and thill, so as to compensate for the difference in dimensions. I

IVhile I prefer to use the arms G, yet they could be dispensed with andthe ends of the breeching-strap be directly connected to the clip insuitable manner. All such apparent modifications I desire to beconsidered as contemplated within the scope of my invention.

In addition to serrating recesses e I can employ a locking-core g forsecuring and retaining arm G in position. This core 9 consists of adisk-shaped block of a diameter corresponding to the inner circumferenceof the lugs C and 0, within which it is placed, and of a thicknesscorresponding tolittle less than the width of the inner space or chamberinclosed by said lugs when brought together. Diametrically across theface or flat side of this core I make a groove h of such dimensions thatthe end of arm G can be placed therein, and projecting from the oppositeface or side is a dowel-pin or stud K. WVhcn the core is placed betweenthe lugs so that the ends of the groove h thereof will open to or alinewith the slot made by the recesses e e and ff, the pin K will enter oneof a segmentally-arranged series of holes made in one of said lugs, asshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. If desired, the core 9 may alone bedepended upon to retain arm G in the desired position. In order tosecure said core in position, bolt D passes through a suitable centralopening made therein,when it is extended through the other elements andis clamped rigidly in position.

What I'claim as new is- 1. The combination with the thills andbreeching-strap, of clips each consisting of two sections which areshaped so as to conform to the curvature of and embrace the thills andhave their opposing longitudinal edges on one side thereof jointed, andwhich are provided with corresponding lugs projecting from theiropposite longitudinal edges, an arm having one end secured by andbetween said lugs to the otherend of which said breeching-strap isattached, and a bolt extended through said lugs and the ends of said armfor clamping the same together.

2. The combination with the thills and breeching-strap, of clips eachconsisting of two sections which are shaped so as to conform to thecurvature of and embrace the thills and have their opposing longitudinaledges on one side thereof jointed, and which are provided withcorrespondinglugs projecting from their opposite longitudinal edges, anadjustable arm having one end pivoted by and between said lugs to theother end of which said breeching-strap is attached, and

a bolt extended through said lugs and the ends of said arm for clampingthe same together.

3. The combination with the thills and breech-strap, of clips eachconsisting of two sections which are shaped so as to conform to thecurvature of and embrace the thills and have their opposing longitudinaledges on one side thereof jointed and which are provided withcorresponding lugs projecting from their opposite longitudinal edges theinner opposing surfaces of which are dished to produce annular edgestherefor which are recessed or depressed which when said lugs aresecured together form a segmental slot, a transverse bolt securing saidlugs together and an adjustable arm one end of which is inserted throughsaid slot and pivoted on said bolt.

4. The combination with the thills and breeching-strap, of clips eachconsisting of two sections which are shaped so as to conform to thecurvature of and embrace the thills and have their opposing longitudinaledges on one side jointed, and which are provided with correspondingconcavo convex lugs projecting from their opposite longitudinal edges, alocking-core inclosed between said lugs, an arm having one end retainedby said core at a suitable angle between said lugs, and to the other endof which said breech ingstrap is attached, and a bolt extending throughsaid lugs said core and said arm for clamping the same together.

5. The combination with the thills and breeching-strap, of clips eachconsisting of two sections which are shaped to conform to the transversecurvature of and embrace the thills and have their opposing longitudinaledges on one side thereof jointed, and which are provided withcorresponding concavo-convex lugs projecting from their oppositelongitudinal edges, a lockingcore having a diametrically-extendinggroove across one of its flat sides and the dowel-pin projecting fromthe opposite side thereof into a suitable opening in one of said lugs,an arm having one end seated in said groove and having saidbreeching-strap attached to its other end, and a bolt extended throughsaid lugs said core and arm for clamping the same together.

CHARLES E. CORLETT.

Witnesses:

M. FRIEL, FRANK D. THOMASON.

